Alternatives / comparison
Rushes transcription, compared fairly.
Rev, Simon Says and TranscriptionWing are the main alternatives for production transcription of rushes. Rev and TranscriptionWing sell human transcription by the minute. Simon Says is self-service AI with wide Avid export. BestTranscript is a managed human service for US and UK unscripted teams. Source timecode and ScriptSync output are validated in a pilot before work is scaled.
Side by side
What each service says it supplies.
Each competitor fact comes from the vendor's own pages, checked on 20 Oct 2026. Prices and features change, so check the linked page before you buy.
| Service | Human verification | Source timecode | Avid ScriptSync output | Rushes service | Public price | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BestTranscript | Yes. A managed human team verifies each transcript. | Yes. Source timecode, frame rate and breaks are agreed at intake. | Yes. ScriptSync files are validated in a pilot with your Avid setup. | Yes. Reality and documentary rushes are the main service. | Quoted after a pilot. | 20 Oct 2026 |
| Rev | Yes. Human transcription is a listed product. | Timestamps are available. Source timecode is not stated on the pages checked. | Yes. A ScriptSync .TXT export from the Rev editor, with access on request. | General video and interview transcription. | Human from $1.99/min. | 20 Oct 2026 |
| Simon Says | No human option on the pricing page. Transcription is AI; your team edits it. | Yes. Timecode-based transcription; H.264 MOV is recommended to keep timecode. | Yes. ScriptSync, AAF, EDL, SubCap and text locators. | Yes. Rushes and dailies for post, as self-service. | AI from $0.25/min pay as you go; plans from $15/month. | 20 Oct 2026 |
| TranscriptionWing | Yes. Human transcription is a listed product. | Timecodes or timestamps are available; on-screen timecodes for film and TV logs. | Not mentioned on the pages checked. | Dialogue logs and B-roll descriptions for film and TV. | Human from $1.29/min. | 20 Oct 2026 |
Comparison answers
Pick the service that fits the footage.
Can Simon Says export to Avid Media Composer?
Yes. The Simon Says Avid page lists ScriptSync, AAF, EDL, SubCap and text locator exports. Its transcription is AI, and the pricing page shows no human transcription option.
Does Rev support Avid ScriptSync?
Yes. Rev publishes a guide to export an Avid ScriptSync .TXT file from its transcript editor. Rev gives access to this format on request.
Why does BestTranscript not show a price?
We quote after a pilot. Audio quality, the number of speakers, the timecode setup and the deliverable format change the work, so we price from a representative sample.
When is a self-service AI tool the better choice?
When the audio is clean, there are few speakers and an assistant editor has time to correct the text. A managed human service is for difficult rushes, consistent speaker names and verified timecode before the edit.
Sources
Pages checked on 20 Oct 2026.
Production pilot
Compare with your own rushes.
Send one representative scene. We return a pilot transcript and a quote, and you test the ScriptSync file in your Avid project.
Scope a pilot